A winglet is an aerodynamic efficiency sensitive component located at a wing tip and deigned for reducing an induced drag for an aircraft, reducing tip vortex, lowering fuel consumption, and enhancing competitiveness of the aircraft. Its installation posture should be strictly guaranteed. Meanwhile, the winglet component is located in a lightning strike I-A zone such that it is susceptible to lightning strike or easily damaged due to crash with a boarding bridge, another plane or a building in adjacency when the aircraft is parking and taxing. The winglet has a relatively small structure, and thus when the winglet is damaged seriously, it is usually directly replaced in consideration of maintenance, cost, and aerodynamic efficiency factors. Furthermore, because the winglet is of a closed structure, it needs to be installed/removed for multiple times for structural maintenance and overhaul during its service.
Therefore, it is desirable that a connection between a winglet and a wing may provide a good interchangeability with the winglet installation posture well guaranteed so as to enhance its maintenance.
A known solution for implementing an interchangeable connection between a winglet and a wing is disclosed for example in a US patent application filed by Airbus Operations Limited with a publication No. US20140117158 (A1). However, the connection manner employed in that application uses 14 hinging lugs that need to satisfy a requirement of proper alignment with high precision, and thus the processing techniques of parts are highly complex and it is difficult to align during assembling of the winglet.